Community-Engaged Sociology Within an University-Based Research Center: Successes and Challenges in Doing the Work and Meeting Outcomes in an Institutional Context

In this article, I focus on community-engaged sociology (CES) conducted by faculty members, in partnerships between universities and community partners, and situated within the context of a university-based research center (UBRC). There has been scant research on UBRCs and their impacts, and I highlight the role that these centers can play in contributing to or impeding outcomes in CES. Beginning with an overview of the institutional context within which I conduct CES, I then discuss three case studies of collaborations with different traits and varying degrees of success. I examine some common challenges that all three collaborations faced, discuss the differences between project (easier to achieve) and institutional (more difficult to achieve) goals, and analyze the reasons for differential results in meeting outcomes. Finally, I conclude by proposing recommendations on how we can better support and boost the work of UBRCs in CES.